User:Oakpinemaple/Panax trifolius

Lead (New stub)
Panax trifolius is a springtime perennial herb that is native to Eastern North America. The distribution of the plant is inconsistent and can become disjunct as it appears frequently in one area and absent in another with a suitable habitat. The plant is a part of the Araliaceae family and was commonly used for medicinal purposes among Native Americans. It occurs in a similar region with the more notable family member, Panax quinquefolium . It is sometimes referred to as "groundnut" due to the roots exhibiting a nutty flavor when eaten raw

Introduction (Old stub)
Panax trifolius, also referred to as Panax trifolium, is a springtime perennial herb that is native to Eastern North America. The distribution of the plant is inconsistent and can become disjunct as it appears frequently in one area and absent in another with a suitable habitat. The plant is a part of the Araliaceae family and was commonly used for medicinal purposes among Native Americans. It occurs in a similar region with the more notable family member, Panax quinquefolium . It is sometimes referred to as "groundnut" due to the roots exhibiting a nutty flavor when eaten raw

Description (New Stub)
The root of the ginseng (Panax trifolius) is knobby-like and resembles a potato with its fleshy appearance. The plant grows to be about 4-8 inches high with tiny white or pink flowers that are about 2mm wide, radially symmetrical , and cluster in a spherical shape. Each flower will have five petals that are white but fade to pink as the fruit ripens to a yellow color. The shoot has a singular stem containing a whorl of three or more leaves per node. Each leaf will contain three to five leaflets with the middle leaflet being the largest. All leaflets are 2.5-3.8mm long with rigid edges. There can be five stamen, petals, sepals, or tepals on the flower that are separated and not fused. The rigid seeds of the plant are 2.5mm-3.5mm long, white in color, and have a coat that they shed each fall before germination. Each hermaphroditic flower of the plant will have three carpellate ovaries that make one seed each resulting in a slow rate of dispersal.

Description (Old Stub)
The root of the ginseng (Panax trifolius) is knobby like and resembles a potato with its fleshy appearance. The plant grows to be about 4-8 inches high with tiny white or pink flowers that are about 2mm wide, radially symmetrical , and cluster in a spherical shape. Each flower will have five petals that are white but fade to pink as the fruit ripen to a yellow color. The shoot has a singular stem containing a whorl of three or more leaves per node. Each leaf will contain three to five leaflets with the middle leaflet being the largest. All leaflets 2.5mm-3.8mm long with rigid edges. There can be five stamen, petals, sepals, or tepals on the flower that are separated and not fused together. The rigid seeds of the plant are 2.5mm-3.5mm long, white in color, and have a coat in which they shed each fall before germination. Each hermaphroditic flower of the plant will have three carpellate ovaries that make one seed each resulting in a slow rate in dispersal.

Taxonomy (New stub)
Carl Von Linnaeus initially described the species has authority over the ginseng. The word "Panax" is Greek for "all remedy" which refers to the assumption of the ancient Chinese believing that the plant was a panacea. The prefix "tri" in "trifolius" means three while "folius" means leaves so the term "trifolius" refers to the three leaflets that make up the compound leaves on the plant. Synonyms for the plant include the name "Nanopanax trifolius."

Taxonomy (Old stub)
Carl Von Linnaeus has authority of the ginseng and initially described the species. The word "Panax" is Greek for "all remedy" which refers to the assumption of the ancient Chinese believing that the plant was a panacea. The prefix "tri" in "trifolius" means three while "folius" means leaves so the term "trifolius" refers to the three leaflets that make up the compound leaves on the plant.

Distribution and Habitat (New Stub)
Panax trifolius grows in mesic forests or on the banks of small streams or rivers in undisturbed areas. They grow abundantly in moist rich soil on flat land in a full or semi-shady position. It can be found in woodlands or damp clearings in eastern deciduous forests of North America. The range in distribution can be from Ontario, Canada to the east of Nova Scotia; south of Georgia, northwest of Kentucky, Indianna, and Minnesota. The plant has adapted to a short growing season allowing it to be more tolerant to colder climates.

Distribution and Habitat (Old Stub)
The Panax trifolius grows in mesic forest or on the banks of small streams or rivers in undisturbed areas. They grow abundantly in moist rich soil on flat land in a full or semi shady position. It can be found in woodlands or in damp clearings in eastern deciduous forests of North America. The range in distribution can be from Ontario, Canada to the east of Nova Scotia; south of Georgia, northwest of Kentucky, Indianna, and Minnesota. The plant has adapted to short growing seasons as its life cycle is around six weeks. Adapting to a shorter growing season makes it more tolerant to colder climates.

Uses (New stub)
Although there is very little research on the medicinal use of the plant, it was still used by Native American tribes. The whole plant was used as a tea, or the root was eaten or chewed on. It was used as a tea to help aid in colic, indigestion, gout, or hives. The root that was eaten raw or boiled, was used for headaches, fainting, or shortness of breath.

Culture (Old Stub)
Although there is very little research on the medicinal use of the plant, it was still used by Native American tribes. The whole plant was used as a tea, or the root was eaten or chewed on. It was used as a tea to help aid in colic, indigestion, gout, or hives. The root that was eaten raw or boiled, was used for headaches, fainting, or shortness of breath.

Propagation (New stub)
The seeds that are dispersed by gravity need to be sowed in a shady area of moist soil as soon as it is ripe in order to grow. They drop in the fall and require a chilling period through the winter before germinating the following spring after the coat of the seed is split and sheds. The rate at which the seed germinates is relatively low and unpredictable due to the seed having to wait until germination during the warmer growing season. The time it takes the plant to mature lasts around six weeks as they flower from April to June and mature before the surrounding trees and plants develop and shade it.

Propagation (Old stub)
The seeds that are dispersed by gravity need to sow in a shady area of moist soil as soon as its ripe in order to grow. They drop in the fall and require a chilling period through the winter before germinating the following spring after the coat of the seed is splits and sheds. The rate in which the seed germinates is relatively low and unpredictable due to the seed having to wait until germination during the warmer growing season. The life cycle of the plant last around six weeks as they flower from April to June and mature before the surrounding trees and plants develop and shade it. Factors like high elevation, dry places, or fields used for agricultural purposes act as obstacles that challenge the growth of the plant.

Conservation (New stub)
The species is widespread throughout Eastern America and in parts of Canada. It is mostly secure in places that it is native to but has become vulnerable in parts of Quebec, Chicago, Virginia, and North Carolina. The plant has become critically imperiled in Georgia. Although the plant experiences low-level threats, factors like high elevation, dry places, or fields used for agricultural purposes act as obstacles that challenge the growth of the plant.

Natural History (New stub)
Panax trifolius has three growth phases where the smallest is vegetative and produces leaves but no flowers. . The male gender phase produces staminate flowers while the hermaphroditic phase produces perfect flowers or flowers with both a stamen and carpel. Although hermaphrodites have both male and female organs, it mostly operates as a female. The hermaphrodites have 6-8 flowers while males have 15-20. The male flowers stay in bloom twice as long as the hermaphroditic flowers with an average of 15 days compared to 6 for the male flowers. The plant has the ability to switch its sexes from male to hermaphrodite and hermaphrodite back to male. These changes can happen multiple times from one year to the next and can be caused by the plants' response to conditions that can hinder reproductive abilities. Sex is expressed by size and environmentally determined by resources accumulated during that growing season which affects the cost of reproduction. Hermaphrodites are larger in size and their reproductive effort is eight times that of males. The different plant types can occur in all phases simultaneously in one area.

Natural History (Old stub)
Panax trifolius has three growth phases where the smallest is vegetative and produces leaves but no flowers. The male gender phase produces staminate flowers while the hermaphroditic phase produces perfect flowers or flowers with both a stamen and carpel. Although hermaphrodites have both male and female organs, it mostly operates as a female. The hermaphrodites have 6-8 flowers while males have 15-20. The male flowers stay in bloom twice as long as the hermaphroditic flowers with an average of 15 days compared to 6 for the male flowers. The plant has the ability to switch its sexes from male to hermaphrodite and hermaphrodite back to male. These changes can happen multiple times from one year to the next and can be caused by the plants response to conditions that can hinder reproductive abilities. Sex is expressed by size and environmentally determined by resources accumulated during that growing season which affects the cost of reproduction. Hermaphrodites are larger in size and their reproductive effort is eight times that of males. The different plant types can occur in all phases simultaneously in one area.